The Mid-Edo Sword Authentication Boom and the Honami Family—The Monopoly Market for 'Shoshinshō' Certificates and the Reality of Appraisal Income Since the Genroku Era
* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Table of Contents
In the middle of the Edo period, particularly from the Genroku era (1688-1704) to the Horeki era (1751-1764), social demand for Japanese sword appraisal increased rapidly. The shift from military rule to civil rule was completed, and the warrior class's understanding of swords shifted from practicality to aesthetics and cultural significance, which formed the background for this change. This article explores the reality of the sword appraisal boom that occurred in the middle Edo period, the monopolistic position of the Honami family that led it, and the economic structure of the business of issuing 'Shoshinshō' certificates of authentication.
Genroku Culture and the Rise of Sword Appraisal
The Genroku era was a time when both warriors and merchants enjoyed economic prosperity. During this period, known as the 'era of Tsunayoshi,' an understanding developed among warriors that regarded swords not as 'weapons for actual use' but as 'art pieces and cultural properties that demonstrated family status.' This shift in consciousness fundamentally changed the standards for evaluating sword value. Rather than cutting ability, emphasis was placed on 'who forged it (authenticity of the signature),' 'how old and rare it was (era and school),' and 'the beauty of the hamon.' As a result, demand for 'certificates of authentication' that proved the authenticity and value of swords increased rapidly.
The warrior class had a custom of using swords as gifts, and attaching a prestigious certificate of authentication to a gifted sword became a social 'quality guarantee.' Famous swords with certificates of authentication were indispensable gifts not only as offerings to the shogun's family but also in exchanges and marriages between daimyo families.
The Honami Family's Monopoly on Sword Appraisal
In the specialized field of sword appraisal, the Honami family during the Edo period had established a de facto monopoly on authority. The Honami family's appraisal business began during the Ashikaga Yoshimitsu era of the Muromachi period and was institutionally established as 'official appraisers to the shogun's family' with the establishment of the Edo shogunate. The Honami family was divided into multiple branch families, and renowned appraisers such as Mitsutatada, Mitsusuke, and Mitsutsuné continued the appraisal business generationally, centered on the main branch. During the Edo period, the Honami family established a system for issuing two types of certificates of authentication: 'Shoshinshō' and 'Origami.'
| Certificate | Content |
|---|---|
| Shoshinshō | A basic certificate of authentication proving the authenticity of the swordsmith |
| Origami | A special certificate of valuation issued for swords of higher rank. It recorded the appraised value (known as 'price setting'), and during the Edo period held enough influence in the sword market to directly affect actual transaction prices |
Appraisal Fees and Economic Scale
What were the appraisal fees in the middle Edo period? According to historical records, the fee for issuing a Shoshinshō varied depending on the type, era, and appraised value of the sword, but for a typical Shoshinshō it was around one bu (several times a carpenter's daily wage at the time), while for an Origami, one koban or more was said to be the going rate. For famous swords by renowned swordsmiths or national treasure-class swords, the Origami issuance fee sometimes reached several dozen koban. Considering the demand for sword appraisals during the Genroku and Kyoho eras, it can be estimated that the annual appraisal income of the entire Honami family reached a considerable scale.
Additionally, the Honami family provided a service called 'togirei' (polishing service) separate from the appraisal fee, and a complete service of sword polishing → appraisal → issuance of Shoshinshō functioned as a source of revenue.
The 'Forgery' Problem and Market Distortion
As the authority of the Honami family increased, the problem of forged certificates of authentication inevitably arose. From the middle Edo period onward, the circulation of forged certificates of authentication known as 'fake Origami' became an industry problem. Forgeries were created mainly through two routes.
- Those using blank documents and seals illegally obtained by low-level associates of the Honami family or visiting polishers
- Those created by unrelated parties imitating the Honami family's handwriting and formats
In response to this problem, the Honami family attempted to address it by concealing their format (using unique seals, handwriting, and paper), but detecting forgeries proved extremely difficult. The shogunate also viewed the circulation of forged certificates as a problem, and records remain of strengthened enforcement during the Kyoho era (1716-1736). The forgery problem highlighted the structural issue that the sword market in the middle Edo period was overly dependent on certificates from the Honami family alone.
Internal Competition Among Branch Families and the Transformation of Authority
The Honami family was far from monolithic. Multiple branch families existed, and since each issued their own certificates of authentication, contradictions sometimes arose in which different branches gave different appraisals for the same sword. During the Horeki era (1751-1764), competition among branches intensified, and disputes arose in the industry over 'which Honami family's Origami was most authoritative.' This internal division ultimately relativized the authority of the Honami family as a whole, creating fertile ground for other appraisers (disciples of the Honami family and independent sword researchers) to rise.
Conclusion—From Monopoly to Pluralism
The sword appraisal boom in the middle Edo period brought the Honami family's monopolistic authority to its peak while also exposing its fragility. The Shoshinshō and Origami system of certificates played an important role in standardizing the cultural value of Japanese swords, but the forgery problem and competition among branches shook their credibility. This history provides important lessons for the design of the current examination committee system conducted by the NBTHK (Japanese Sword and Art Preservation Society). Rather than relying on a single authority, a consensus-based system of multiple experts, transparent examination standards, and technical countermeasures against counterfeiting—all of these can be understood as answers to the problems experienced by the Honami family during the Edo period. The history of sword appraisal is also a history of building and maintaining trust.
